


Golden Thread

by thatisnotokay



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alien Hunk (Voltron), Alien Lance (Voltron), Alien Pidge (Voltron), Alien Planet, Black Paladin Shiro (Voltron), Blue Paladin Lance (Voltron), Gay Keith (Voltron), Half Galra Keith (Voltron), M/M, PINING KEITH, Red Paladin Keith (Voltron), Sentient Voltron Lions, Trust Issues, Winged Lance, Wingfic, alien race, incomplete romance, pretty boy lance, will add tags, winged au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-20
Updated: 2017-11-01
Packaged: 2019-01-20 08:36:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12429012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatisnotokay/pseuds/thatisnotokay
Summary: The Lions of Voltron are searching for their new Paladins. It was going fine until the Blue Lion gave Allura the name of an elusive, untrusting species that would be almost impossible to track down.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> in this universe, quintessence isn't strictly evil and the galra empire never rose up to power. alfor is old as fuck. 
> 
> but this also means! shiro doesn't have the fucked up arm, scar, or white hair. will be vaguely important later.
> 
> i brainstormed almost everything for Avaskhans in one of my lectures and,,, it was just a good thing we weren't going over anything important.

Everybody knew about the legend of Voltron: of His strength, His power, and the swift justice He rained down on the unruly and unfair. Almost everyone in the known universe was thankful for Him, because they knew it was because of His glory that the Galra Empire had not risen to its full, deadly power. Everyone had heard the tales of how powerful He was, even down to the very Lions that made His body. Each Lion was unique; from the Red Lion’s fiery passion to the Yellow Lion’s heart of gold, each Lion was given a personality by the people they protect.

The Lions still had their secrets, however, including their conscious decisions for choosing their next Paladin. Select few knew of their cognitive abilities, namely the Altean royalty that swore to take care of the body of Voltron. The Altean King, Alfor, had taken exceptional care of the Lions and of Voltron, having the title of the Red Paladin for himself. He also had the honor of being the one to construct the Lions from nothing but a comet many millennia ago. Because of this, Voltron had shared His quintessence with the Altean and blessed him with a long life. King Alfor saw many Paladins in his time; from the very first Paladins, his close friends, to the current generation of Paladins that pilot the Lions of Voltron.

Unfortunately for Altean Empire, King Alfor’s time was coming to an end. With his final chapter drawing to a close, the Paladins of Voltron knew it was time to lay down their bayards for the next generation. They had the honor of serving with the King, had fought beside him against tyranny, and made safe haven for galaxies all around the universe. The Red Lion said her goodbyes to the King, and the other Lions and their Paladins followed suit.

Thus, the search for new Paladins began. King Alfor told his only daughter, Crowned Princess Allura of Altea, what to expect when the Lions found their new Paladins.

“They will come to you, child, do not push the process,” he told her, eyes crinkling at the corners as fond memories of his daughter’s impatience came to mind. “They will not tell you the name of the one they have chosen. The Paladins must come forward themselves. However, the Lions will help you find them- they will give you who they are.”

King Alfor could not, or would not, elaborate on what he had meant. The young Princess questioned him for days, being met with nothing but silence and gentle smiles, before the Black Lion gave her an answer in her dreams.

The hearty, thick voice of the Black Lion pulsed through her softly, like velvet blood, leaving a gentle electric current in its wake.

“ _Human. Strong, in both willpower and bravery. Kind, but a leader by nature. Strong morality. The brain of a commander but the heart of a father. My Paladin_.”

The Black Lion’s description of the future Paladin stuck with the Princess for several days, driving her and her castle ship forward until she reached Earth. The planet was still new to her and the universe, but they were welcoming and friendly when told the glorious news that one of their own inhabitants was to be the next Black Paladin of Voltron.

It was not easy from there, unlike what Allura had hoped. Many humans, thirsty for glory, lined up to see if they were the one the Black Lion was searching for. The Lion did not open his maw to any, and stayed deep in his slumber for many nights. Allura had began to question if she had truly heard the voice of the Lion when he came to her again, this time as she sat in court:

“ _My Paladin is close_.”

Later that very day, after many humans had attempted to unlock the Lion’s trust, a young man stepped forward and the great Lion bowed before him. The Alteans welcomed him and his family onto their ship and celebrated the wondrous discovery.

“What is your name, Black Paladin?” Allura asked the human, handing him a goblet of their finest drink. It did not seem to please sensitive human taste.

“Takashi Shirogane, your Highness. It’s an honor.”

The announcement was made to the planet Altea that the Black Lion had found his Paladin, and Shiro was introducing himself to the King and Queen as the fervid voice of the Red Lion spoke to Allura.

“ _My Paladin is close. Galran and Human. Passionate. Daring. Brave to a fault. Extraordinary; gifted. Mine_.”

Within the hour, it was discovered that Shiro’s half-brother, Keith, had Galran blood in his veins; one of the few humans who were of mixed blood. He was taken to the Red Lion, where she immediately awoke to greet her new Paladin. (Allura would later admit to her pet mice that she was hoping the Red Lion would give more years to her father- she admits afterwards that she trusts the Red Lion’s decision, even though it may be painful for her to do so.)

Within the next few months, the other Lions came to Allura at their own time. The Green Lion was next, and they found her Paladin on the planet Olkari. She was young and still maturing, but perhaps the brightest Paladin that Voltron had ever seen. While she was still becoming one with her body and self, she was quick to learn and eager to grow. She was gifted, yes, but still had much more to learn about the universe.

The Yellow Lion gave the Princess a description of a kind hearted Puigian- but a trip to the planet Puig was for naught. Instead, they found the Yellow Paladin on a nearby Balmera, fighting with the inhabitants against the intruding Galra that had planned to take over the Balmera’s crystal mines. The Puigian had a soft heart, but the fire of a thousand stars when facing the injustice he had seen. He told the other Paladins he couldn’t let any other planets fall under vile rule, and would gladly help them defend the universe..

The Blue Lion spoke to Princess Allura last, breathing her soft voice into Allura’s headspace as she fell into sleep.

“ _Loyal and honest, proud and kind. My Paladin is strong, although unsure. Trusting against better judgement, but quick to befriend. Gentle, powerful, with galaxies full of potential. Find my Paladin. Avaskhan_.”

When she woke, the Princess felt as though she were drifting in a gentle stream. The Blue Lion’s voice was in her hair, under her eyelids, on the back of her hands for many moons. The Lion’s voice was the breeze through the open windows and the soft footsteps down the hallways. It was everywhere Allura went; a comforting presence as she searched for the Lion’s chosen Paladin.

However, if the Paladins of Voltron thought that finding the Yellow Paladin was hard enough- needing to travel to other planets to find him- finding the Blue Paladin was going to be nearly impossible.

“What do you mean?” Allura asked the royal advisor. “Avoskha still exists today- the scanners show the planet as being very healthy.”

“Healthy, yes,” Coran explained, “but uninhabited. The Avaskhans have not lived on their home planet for many hundreds of moon cycles, my Princess.”

The Princess had only heard of the Avaskhan people in stories; she had never had the opportunity to meet one. They were once a large people, spreading out across their planet much like the humans and Alteans do. They were a beautiful race, known for their showmanship and pride for both athletic and aesthetic purposes. Avaskhans  had great wings, some being said to stretch a kilometer wide, and they could fly across mountains and large bodies of water, never touching the ground for days at a time. They were as powerful as they were beautiful; it was said that once, a single feather from the wing of an Avaskhan was worth three large Balmeran crystals, but that you ought not dare take one by force- one swift stroke of their wings and an Avaskhan could behead even the toughest-skinned creature. Photostills of the planet Avoskha had spread around the universe many years ago, showing deep craters in mountains; rumor had it that a single Avaskhan could throw a fully grown Galran dozens of meters into thick rock with a single pulse of their beautiful wings. Allura had always heard that, for each breath of strength an Avaskhan had, they had triple the grace and allure.

It was no wonder that for all their beauty and power, that the species was highly coveted by the corrupt wealth of the universe.

Coran told Allura that centuries ago, the Avaskhans had suffered a huge loss to their numbers and had decided to abandon their home planet, overrun by bounty hunters and treasure collectors. They fled to places all over the universe, searching and begging for safe haven.

“Unfortunately, not many are left. It’s very rare to see any sign of an Avaskhan today,” the advisor told the Princess. “Even if we do find them, the chance of getting them to trust us enough to come into our castle is- well, it’s not good.”

The Blue Lion’s voice pulsed through the Princess gently, as if reassuring her that it would be alright. They would find her Paladin.

“The Blue Lion chose an Avaskhan. So,” she said, eyes alight with determination, “we will find an Avaskhan.”

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allura and Keith find some clues?? Keith finds a very pretty boy (and a very pretty boy finds Keith).

“How the hell are we supposed to find a hidden colony of- what, 30?- people on this _entire_ planet?” Pidge asked, shoulders slumped at an exasperated angle.

“Uh… split up?” The reply was not enthusiastic.

“Good idea, Hunk!” Coran clapped the Yellow Paladin on the shoulder, beaming at him through a well-maintained moustache. “That’ll do nicely!”

The Voltron team had been at a loss after the news that the final, Blue Paladin would be of Avaskhan blood. Shiro and Keith, still unaware of much of the Universe’s history and culture, had thought a simple trip to the planet that shares the namesake would be enough. Pidge still burst into soft, barely concealed giggles when she remembered how their faces dropped when told that the winged race had not been seen on their home planet for centuries. It had been Keith, however, to propose that they behave like bounty hunters to track down the lost species.

When asked to elaborate, he explained:

“Well, you said people hunt them down. Y’know, for their feathers or whatever, right? So we just… hunt them down too. Ask around, talk to a bounty hunter or two, follow them… Eventually we’ll get to where they’re hiding, right? I mean, unless they have the ability to turn invisible, someone- they can’t turn invisible, can they?”

“No, Red Paladin, they cannot,” he was assured.

“Okay. Good, that’s… a good starting point, I guess. Anyway, someone has to have seen something.”

The team agreed, and split up into groups of two: Shiro and Coran, Pidge and Hunk, and Allura and Keith. Keith had wanted to be paired with his brother, but the Alteans both suggested that humans, “as culturally inept as you are,” be paired with more experienced partners.

Their first few leads came through empty, simply the tall tales of an elderly alien or the fantasies of small children. Pidge eventually came across a signal with an encrypted code; apparently, a few collectors had heard they were looking and, already pleased with their own collection (Allura made sure they knew where the collectors were, so they could find them later and free the captured pet Avaskhans), were feeling charitable with their information. That led the team to a large planet, far larger than any of planets familiar to the humans, even the star they called the sun. It was teeming with lights, scattered across the surface in heavy, concentrated spots that shone through the thick atmosphere into the void of space.

“Planet Velasque,” Coran introduced to the Paladins and Princess, pulling up a hologram map of the planet. “Famous for tourist spots and the best parties. Too many alien species inhabit the planet, and have for millennia, so it’s hard to know which species the planet was home to first. Now the busy planet is home hundreds of species, from the humble foragers that live in its rich forests, to the adventurous fun-lovers that frequent the cities.”

Hunk inquired what the areas void of any light were.

“Ah, yes! Those are the mountains- you see, the atmosphere of Velasque is far too thin in high altitude. Only a select few species can survive without extra measures that high up. Most mountianous areas are uninhabited, overtaken by thick fauna and dangerous wildlife. Which is why, people speculate, it’s the perfect hideaway for Avaskhans!”

“Wouldn’t they be worried about all the people in the cities?” Pidge asked. “I mean, with populations that high, there’s bound to be some shady business going on.”

“Oh, definitely,” Coran agreed. “Its one of the best spots in this quadrant to conduct your ‘shady business.’ Or, so I’ve been told. But! You’d have to be a real fool of a man to seek out the Avaskhans on your own!”

(Pidge and Allura shared a look and a snigger.)

“So, tell me again, why are _we_ seeking them out?” Hunk’s voice was high with worry and anxiety.

“Because,” the Princess reminded him gently, “the Blue Lion’s Paladin is Avaskhan.”

“Yeah, but,” he tried, “can’t it just… change its mind?”

“Only if you want the Yellow Lion to change his mind about you.”

Hunk conceded, grumbling softly to himself about having already bonded with his Lion.

After changing into what the Alteans deemed appropriate clothing, stowing their armor away in their transports, the team set out to their assigned regions to look for any information that could lead them to the Avaskhans. Hunk and Pidge took the northernmost part of Velasque, Coran and Shiro headed southeast, and Keith and Allura directed their pods to the southwestern part of the planet.

Allura chatted the entire ride there; Keith had tried to listen to the Princess, but his own thoughts about the hidden species they were sent to find took prevalence in his mind. He thought about the kind of people they would have to meet in order to find the Avaskhans; greedy bounty hunters who had no sense of danger, he assumed. With all the information and stories he’s heard about how dangerous the alien race was, he wondered if their beauty was worth the pain, and why collectors would even dare to think about having one as a pet. Keith then began to wonder what their cognitive function was- were they unhappy as pets? They had enough thought to fight back against danger, but how much more than that? Is their behavior based solely on instinct, or can they seek out recreational pleasures like humans? If they did rely solely on the id of their brains, was there any chance of them being able to properly communicate with the Paladins?

 _Well, of course they think like we do,_ Keith interrupted himself. _The Blue Lion chose one as a Paladin- of course they’ll have a sense of morality and justice. Otherwise, what’s the point? That’d just be like us taking one as a pet. We’d be no better than the collectors._

He brought himself out of his thoughts then, just in time to catch the last of Allura’s safety precautions.

“-whatever you do, don’t stand behind them. You’ll look like an adolescent Riehdoffer faster than you can take a breath.” Keith merely nodded in assent, storing the information away.

It didn’t take them much longer to get to the surface of Velasque, tucking the pod safely away in a small crop of trees just outside the large city. The two made sure to hide their weapons properly, but still accessible in case of emergency. Coran had told them that the southwestern part of the planet was the most peaceful in terms of ‘shady business,’ so the Princess did not want to startle any civilians or tourists with an unnecessary show of weaponry, nor did she want to alert anyone of the presence of a Paladin of Voltron by having the Red Paladin showcase his telltale bayard.

The two wandered through the city, side by side, stopping into hole-in-the-wall cafes or dimly lit bars, checking each off of the list of possible meetups that the generous collectors had given them. Allura kept tabs on the list and the map while Keith kept an eye and ear out for any possible threats or ‘allies’ around them. His violet, sharp eyes loomed over the crowd, looking at each face but not really searching for anyone or anything in particular.

He heard music faintly ahead, a melody and voice that seemed to tug at his ribs. He tried to ignore it.

“We have only a few more stops in this city,” Allura was saying, allowing keith a distraction from the soft crescendo of song. “If we can’t find anything, we’ll head south to the next city. We’ll relay whatever we’ve found- or not found- back to everybody else on the way. But anyhow, the next stop is… It looks like a club, called Xalor’s Talons. It should be up… ahead…”

Allura’s voice dropped off softly, and her pointed ears twitched in the direction of the melody. “Is that music?”

“I think there’s a street performer up there,” Keith supplied, eyes scanning the small cluster of people ahead of them. His own voice sounded distant compared to the voice of the singer, even to himself.

“We should… go see what it’s about,” was the slow reply; Keith hardly had a chance to look at the Princess before she gracefully slid through the crowd of bodies, gliding towards the source of music. He followed her wordlessly, not needing to track her with his gaze as they approached the performer. His feet carried right up to the front of the small gathering, only stopping once the owner of the song was in front of him.

Keith had heard the way other gay teens would speak: “Have you ever seen a pretty girl and remembered how gay you are?” lesbians would say. Keith had never really understood what the saying was supposed to mean (even in a gay-for-boys way), until he saw the performer.

He was Allura and Keith’s height, with messy brown hair cut short, and rich brown skin that seemed to glow in the sunlight. He wore a huge robe that seemed to swallow him- it was deep blue, glittering with a dark purple hue that seemed to dance in the sunlight, adorned with glittering, golden embroidery, and was easily three times the size it should have been given how skinny the performer’s arms were.

Keith’s first impression was that the singer was human- he shared the same facial bone structure as Allura and Keith, but without telltale Altean marks. His hands were like theirs as well, with five fingers and smooth skin. Beneath the robe, Keith wasn’t sure; it was flowing with the dance, twisting around the boy’s ankles and swaying gently with each twirl. Keith was sure there was something other than a long torso and hips under the beautiful fabric- every once in awhile, on a particular hard turn, Keith would see the soft curve of hips and something, fuller and wider, just behind them that stretched up the entirety of the boy’s body. Keith could not see anything near the boy’s bare ankles, however, and assumed it must have been a backpack of sorts, hidden safely away from prying hands.

A closer look at the performer’s ankles gave Keith the first clue that he was not of full human blood- the ankles were too thick, they didn’t narrow down from the calves like a human’s would. The feet, barefoot except for golden jewelry and white stockings that looped under the heel, were wide and flat, albeit just as graceful as any human ballerina.

The boy stepped close to Keith and Allura and the Red Paladin looked up, startled, to see brilliant blue eyes and the soft curve of a smile. ( _The roots of his teeth aren’t white_ , Keith thought in the back of his head. _Not yellow or orange, exactly, but… gold without the metallic shine; they’re too sharp to be human._ )

A hand ( _the nails are the same as the teeth_ ) swiftly took Allura’s own, bringing her into the performer’s dance in perfect time with his song. She was pulled along with him, stepping in seamless sync atop the soft dirt underneath. The boy sang a few more verses before gently guiding her back to where she was and taking keith in her stead. Keith followed wordlessly, a little more clumsy than Allura had been.

The hand on his elbow felt too hot, the heat traveling quickly to rest in his cheeks. Full, soft red lips parted in song, and keith was distracted by the boy’s eyes- a blue that seemed to mimic the waves of the ocean, and thicker, longer eyelashes that Keith had ever seen. (His brain, unhelpfully, supplied that he’d only seen such eyelashes on drag queens and camels. He felt ashamed, offended on behalf of the performer.)

Keith could feel himself be spun and led around in tight circles, but was back beside Allura before he could register what the song lyrics were. In the next instant, the performer had two young girls at his side, smiling down at them as he sang to them. The song softened as it came to an end, and the performer produced two vividly colored flowers from his cloak, putting one in each of the children’s hands as he finished the song.

There wasn’t much of an applause as there was a collective, satisfied sigh as everyone in the small crowd seemed to come out of a trance at once. A handful of coins of various currencies were dropped at the performer’s feet, some of which were dropped from Keith’s own hand. The performer bowed low, scooping up his earnings and tucking them away under his robe. He continued to thank the crowd, genuinely pleased that they all liked his song. As he turned this way and that, Keith swore he saw an iridescent shine to his skin- sometimes golden, sometimes a soft blue. He couldn’t be sure, as Allura had his elbow in an instant and was tugging him along.

“-wasted enough time,” she was saying. The blush on her ears made the Paladin believe that she did not believe it was a _complete_ waste of time. “We need to head to Xalor’s before the end of varga.”

Keith absently agreed with her, but not before chancing a peek behind his shoulder. He caught the bright grin and dazzling blue eyes directed his way before the street performer disappeared in the ever-moving hustle of the city.

 

.:^:.

 

Xalor’s Talons turned out to be a bust, nothing but a dead end. The pair had gotten there at the height of the club’s busy hours and received nothing but light bruises littering their arms and lower legs. The club was lit with dim violet hues, flashes of reds and yellows every few seconds from the high ceilings; Allura eventually shapeshifted her eyes to better suit the lights, but Keith was stuck grimacing against the garish strobes. The entire building smelt of strong liquor and strange, floral cigarette smoke that stung Keith’s nose with every inhale.

They did meet a man with a little information, though it wasn’t anything they could really go off of. He just informed them that his friend had some luck a few weeks back selling some Avaskhan feathers he had found on the ground. When asked which area his friend had picked up the lost feathers, the man told them he didn’t know- his friend had been wasted off of nunvil at the time. When asked which store bought the feathers off of him, the man told them that he hadn’t bothered to ask- he was too excited about the riches his friend had acquired. All he could tell them was what the feather had looked like, other than how much money it sold for. The man said it was a white feather with golden accents near the root of it and a dark blue pattern at the tip, and even produced an already-crumpled photostill that his friend had given him.

“That was pointless,” Keith mumbled, bitter as they stepped outside of the club. Night had snuck on them while they were lost inside, jostled around with the dancing clubgoers, and with it brought a sharp chill. “Where else do we need to go?”

The pair made their way through the rest of the city, their trek in the streets much easier since most inhabitants had retired into a warm building. Their last two stops gave fruitless results as well, putting them on the other side of the city as their transportation with no useful information to relay back to the team.

They were both silent on the way back, walking side by side through the darkened streets. They started to come up to the place just before Xalor’s where they had seen the performer. Allura’s strides did not slow, but Keith found himself falling behind as the captivating, silky voice replayed the song in the back of his head. There was nobody around the spot now, nothing to signify that anybody had taken a spot there earlier that day.

Keith shook his head, ears warming up with embarrassment at having stopped to stare at an empty spot, for nothing more than to remember some performer he had seen. As he did, his eye caught a small glimmer- on the ground, wedged in the foliage near the wall, was a small feather. He leaned down to pick it up between gentle fingers and saw Allura stop from the corner of his vision.

“Keith! What are you doing?”

“Nothing-” he stood, taking the soft down feather with him. “Just- I found a feather.”

That piqued her interest, and they came to a standstill to examine the small thing. It was no longer than a few knuckles of Keith’s finger, curving slightly and almost threatening to be blown out of Keith’s open palm.

“Is it long enough? To be an Avaskhan’s?” he asked Allura, holding it so she could see it. An elegant, thin finger picked it from his hand, holding it close to her face so she could examine it better.

“I’m not sure. I’m afraid I’m not an expert on wing anatomy.”

“Maybe we can take it back to Coran? All the pawn shops are probably closed by now.”

She nodded, tucking it into one of her pockets. Keith had to fight the urge to take it back, feeling silly over being possessive of such a small thing. Yet, he found himself thinking that it had been left there for _him_. He pushed that feeling down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> btw the song i imagined Lance singing is (similar to?) Ed Sheeran's 'Perfect' ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKzRIweSBLA )


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Paladins + Alteans finally meet the Avaskhan flock, and Lance is very thankful for Keith's quick thinking.

About halfway from their impromptu stop to their ride, both of their pagers sounded off.

“Team, come in,” Shiro’s voice broke through the static. “Can you all hear me?”

Allura and Keith both confirmed, followed by two other confirmations.

“Good. We have a lead! We don’t know if it’s solid or not, but we don’t have much time to debate it. We found a bounty hunter who’s willing to let us follow him on his trip up to where he thinks the Avaskhans are. He says he’s leaving in three hours though. Says it’s too dangerous if it gets much darker; the sun will be rising again by the time we get there.”

“So,” Hunk started to ask, “what are we gonna do? Are we just gonna follow him? Do we even know he’s legit?”

“He seemed to know what he was talking about,” Coran answered. “Knew the answers to all of my questions about the Avaskhans and how to track them! Said he’s done it before, even showed us a gnarly scar from a wing he’d got to the leg.”

“Even then,” the Black Paladin added, “we don’t really have time to sit around and dig through his credentials. It’ll take Pidge and Hunk at least two and a half hours to get to where we’re meeting him. If anything, we go on his crazy adventure with him and have a cool story to tell. It’s just one of him, and I doubt he’d want to take all of us on at once.”

Keith asked the next question, “where are we meeting him at?”

“A little north of where you guys are at now.”

The feather in Allura’s pocket came to Keith’s mind.

 

.:^:.

 

The team ended up going to the meet point. They met a kilometer or two away from where the bounty hunter wanted to meet so they could rejoin as a group. Keith and Allura got there first, shortly followed by Coran and Shiro. The two groups chatted and shared information, or just crazy stories they gathered on their separate excursions. Allura shared the feather Keith had found with the two others, and Keith felt the bubble of irrational possessiveness in his stomach again and fought the urge the snatch the feather out from peering eyes. When he got the opportunity to, Allura distracted by talking to Shiro and Coran, he scooped the feather from Shiro’s hand and hid it away in his jacket pocket. He felt much safer with it on his being. He flushed with that thought, straightening his back under his own self-scrutiny. Luckily, nobody seemed to notice.

Hunk and Pidge showed up about an hour later, with a short list of new information with them. They shared what they had and were debriefed on what the others had shared. All that they had seemed to gather is that a few people had been lucky enough to find a stray Avaskhan feather, up until yesterday- there was a young couple at one of the bars Hunk and Pidge had gone to that was celebrating their newfound wealth- and that a few bounty hunters believed they knew where the small company of aliens were hiding, which lined up with where the bounty hunter Shiro and Coran had met.

They met up with the bounty hunter, who turned out to be a hulking Balmeran twice Keith’s size, body thick and heavy. They greeted him, not taking much time to converse otherwise before they set off on their path upwards. The man had a small, stealthy hovercraft that was specialized for quiet mobility through dense forest. He claimed they’d be able to go right up to the “flock” itself, since he had recently paid big money to get a cloaking device installed.

The trip was hot and humid, even in the hovercraft. The thick air seemed to seep through the very cracks of the craft, filling the inside with as much dense, sticky atmosphere as it could. Keith and Shiro were sweating within the first few minutes, Pidge following closely after. They couldn’t see outside, except through the very front (where the Balmeran refused access), but could conclude that the area was heavily forested by all the jostling that occurred.

The hot air eventually thinned out and Coran advised everyone to put on their suits, or at least their helmets. He and Allura’s chests expanded a tad bit as they changed their own lungs to better suit the atmosphere, apparently mimicking the Avaskhan trait of having two sets of lungs. Keith pulled his sweat-dampened hair back into a low ponytail before putting his helmet on, and thanked his lucky stars that the automatic temperature adjuster in the helmet was able to take some of the heat away from his face.

They were in the small hovercraft for what seemed hours (and according to Coran was fairly close to three hours) before it began to slow down and the telltale, soft vibrations of the cloaking device activated. There was less jostling and more careful maneuvering, and eventually it was hard to tell if there was any foliage around them at all. The Balmeran brought the hovercraft to a slow stop, making sure that none of the older parts of the engine creaked as he did.

“Alright, Paladins,” he said quietly as he came back from the pilot’s seat. “We must be very quick and quiet. These ones are not good at surprises. It will be easiest to take them suddenly.”

The team had no intention of letting the Balmeran attack any of the Avaskhans, but before they could so much as stand up, he was out the door with a gun in his hand. Shiro was the first to bolt after him, Hunk and Keith close behind.

In the open space of the trees, they barely saw what the Avaskhans looked like through the flurry of feathers, and could only hear each other through their headpieces over the surprised screams. The Balmeran was yelling something, pointing his gun at various Avaskhans.

There was a flare as the gun was fired, the whistle of a bullet, and a sharp, high pitched scream that sounded too young to be from an adult. That sounded off more shouts, some terrified and some angry. Many of the Avaskhans turned to flee, and Keith saw one too many little feet being ushered away, except one pair: the Avaskhan that had been hit with a stun bullet fell to the dirt with a small _thwump_.

“Keith! Get that gun away from him!” Shiro yelled into the comms, rushing forward with his own bayard- a large gantlet that covered the majority of his right arm.

Gauntlet activated and raised protectively, Shiro stood in between the Balmeran bounty hunter and the fallen Avaskhan, facing the Balmeran with determination set in his brow. Keith activated his own bayard and pointed the blade at the bounty hunter in warning.

“Put the gun down, Knox!” he ordered, causing the Balmeran to stutter in his attack.

“What are you doing?” the bounty hunter yelled, turning his gun away from the Black Paladin. “You _never_ turn your back on these ones!”

Keith looked behind Shiro, vision zeroing in on a larger figure hovering over the injured Avaskhan- he saw their huge wings, which ruffled minutely before taking on a much more metallic sheen. He saw the great wing pull back, as if it was a fist aiming for a punch. He yelled a warning to his brother.

Shiro turned, and all he could see for a second was blazing, furious blue eyes before he jumped back to avoid the blow. There was a flash of dark blue in front of his face, and it was a few seconds before he could feel the searing pain across the bridge of his nose, a razor-sharp feather slicing through his helmet and skin. He ducked, covering his face with his left hand as his weaponized hand came up to protect himself.

Keith panicked, almost running towards Shiro before the bounty hunter shouted, back-pedalling frantically and throwing his arms out to the side, effectively hitting Keith with his gun and knocking him to the ground. He looked up in time to see the figure that had stricken Shiro jump over him to the Balmeran. There was a flurry of blue and white feathers, a short glimpse of brown skin, and many whirrs of bullets passing. Keith saw two feet, wide and flat with thick ankles, face towards him and tense up as the Avaskhan braced himselff. There was a powerful gust of wind, a loud shout from the Balmeran, and a tick of silence before a thundering, near-deafening scream of metal being warped and crushed.

The Avaskhan had thrown the towering, huge Balmeran into his own hovercraft, nearly slicing the thing in two with the force of it.

Wide eyed, Keith dared look up at the Avaskhan who’d done it. His sword was held up, but only protectively over his chest. It dropped when Keith saw the Avaskhans face; long eyelashes, brilliant blue eyes, and though he didn’t speak, Keith knew he had the voice that could enchant crowds of aliens.

Fear flashed through Keith’s veins and an unfamiliar electricity curled up his spine. _Fuck, I’m gay._

The performer ignored him in favor of returning to the side of the hurt Avaskhan, helping the young girl to her feet. He said something to her, hushed and in their own language. He looked at Keith and Shiro, at the rest of the Paladins, and hurried her away quickly. He separated only to spread his wings a second later, running towards the deep dip of ground where some of the other Avaskhans had taken flight. There was enough of a space for him to jump and pump his wings, rising off of the ground in seconds.

“The engine is smoking!” he heard Pidge shout in his headpiece. “We gotta get out of here before it explodes!”

The little Avaskhan was running towards the same chasm, flapping her smaller wings. The movement was not nearly as fluid as the performer’s; the left wing was shuddering in pain.

Keith rushed for her, subconsciously changing his bayard from its sword to form a shield. He heard the various shouts of his teammates in his ear, just under the thudding of his own heart. He saw the girl jump, get a few feet in the air, and fall back on the lip of the drop off.

He heard the engine exploding before he felt it. He scooped the girl in his arms, face first into soft feathers, and dropped them both over the corner of the dip as he felt the heat kiss the top of his helmet. The bottom was closer than he was expecting, and he crashed his knees against the hard ground. The shield came over top of him and the small Avaskhan in his arms, his free arm holding her head close to his chest for extra protection. What the shield wouldn’t cover, Keith made up for with his body and armor.

Various pieces of incinerated, white hot hovercraft came down on them, most knocking against the shield. Keith’s arm quivered with the force of keeping the shield above their heads, and the back of his leg screamed in pain after a shard of metal fell on it, burning through the first layer of his armor. The rainfall of debris continued for what must have only been minutes, before a voice came through his headpiece.

“Is everyone okay?”

The team sounded off one by one, Keith being the last to call. “I’m okay, I think my leg might be a bit hurt. I’m not sure. But, I have an Avaskhan with me, she’s hurt. Her wing got shot, I think.”

He gently moved away from her, checking her skin and clothes over for any visual injuries. She was shaking in his arms, looking at him through his visor with wide, frightened eyes. He lifted the visor away, showing her his face.

“It’s okay,” he said as calmly as he could. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

Allura appeared from over the lip of the chasm, peering down at them both. Keith, careful how he moved as to not hurt the little girl’s wing any more, or his own wound, lifted the Avaskhan up into Allura’s arms. Her wings extended a few times, the left one winching back into her body when the stretch became too much.

“Shh, little one,” Keith heard Allura coo, “it’ll be alright. We won’t hurt you, I promise. We’ll get you home.”

Keith was next to climb out of the dip in the ground, helped by Hunk and Shiro. Shiro had gotten away from the blast unhurt, but his face was covered in blood- there was a deep cut that stretched across the bridge of his nose and under his eyes.

Keith heard the beating of wings, and looked up to see not only the performer, but two other adult Avaskhans above them. The anger was gone from the performer’s face, replaced with a small amount of singed hair and ash on his cheeks and nose. He looked worried, eyes focused only on the child in Allura’s arms.

“We come in peace!” Shiro called up to them, hollering as loud as he could to be heard. Keith pushed down the joke about how cliche he sounded. “Please, we need to speak to you!”

The performer was the first to land, close enough to the Paladins and Alteans to cause their hair to whip around. He didn’t approach Allura, his eyes now focused on hers. His expression was wary, hard to read. It was so unlike the happy, charismatic smile he wore on the streets earlier that day. Allura stood still, and looked down at the child for a quick moment before slowly, gently placing her on the ground.

The next moment was quick- the little girl ran from Allura, and the performer ran to sweep her off her feet and into his arms. He held her close and backed away, using his wings to carry him back quicker. He cradled her head to his chest and shoulders, much like Keith had done. The Avaskhan didn’t move after that, besides small, comforting pats to the spot between the girl’s wings. His eyes were watching them all, switching from Shiro, to Coran, down the line until he saw Keith.

Something akin to gratitude passed through his face, and his brow softened. He looked from the little girl to Keith a few times, debating with himself. Eventually, he twisted himself around until he was facing Keith.

“Thank you,” he said, bowing at the hips, shallow to avoid dropping the child, wings tucked neatly behind him. “I saw what you did. You saved her life.”

Keith nodded, numbly. He felt frozen under the boy’s stare, and briefly thought the down feather hidden away in his jacket pocket. He opened his mouth to say something, a burst of wind in his face stopping any words from coming out. He looked at the two Avaskhans that had landed behind the performer.

“Uh, guys? They do _not_ look too happy…” Hunk muttered into the headpiece. “Maybe we should come back another time…?”

“Now’s not the time to be anxious, Hunk,” Pidge chided. "I bet they can smell fear." 

Shiro stepped forward, mimicking the performer by bowing at the hip.

“Please, we’re the Paladins of Voltron. We’d like to have a word with you, if you may.” His voice was even, confident.

The two Avaskhans only spared him a glance, timidly coming closer to meet with the two younger ones. The woman, a short Avaskhan with brown and gold wings, chirped softly in their mother language as she took the child from the boy. The older man took a protective stance around them all, curving his blue wings around so they were mostly shielded from the Paladin’s view but to where he could still see them over the elbow. His thoughts were written all over his face- he wasn’t sure how to feel, confused on whether or not he could trust these people who had caused such havoc. His expression became more conflicted when he looked at Keith and Allura, not sure if he should be thankful as well for protecting his daughter.

Keith stepped forward with the intent to talk to them, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Coran squeezed his shoulder, shaking his head with a soft expression.

“I would not advise getting into family affairs, lad.”

They did not have to wait for long; there was a call from deeper in the forest, answered by the older man. A small band of Avaskhans came out, startling when they saw that the foreigners were still nearby. More chatter seemed to ease their mind, and they came closer. Most stayed by the treeline, eyeing the team warily, while a few others went to the small family. More Avaskhans came from the sky, landing a safe distance away from the strangers, and a few more stray groups came from the safety of the trees. When it looked like everyone was there- a number just under thirty- Shiro cautiously stepped forward.

“We’re with Voltron,” he tried again, speaking slowly. “We’re the Paladins of Voltron. We need to speak with you.” When met with unsure silence, he continued. “We were told that the Blue Paladin would be an Avaskhan. I understand that you’re scared- we hadn’t meant for that to happen, and we are all terribly sorry. But, we would be very grateful if you would agree to meet with the Blue Lion, to see who her Paladin is.”

A few of the  younger Avaskhans perked up, intrigued by the idea of adventure at the mention of Voltron. They were quickly silenced by a man, older than the rest, stepping towards Shiro with wings slightly spread. He wore tight clothes, like the rest, but his shirt was colored a brilliant gold, glinting in the sun. He wore the most jewelry out of the entire flock and had the most scars on his body, including a vertical scar across his eye.

“We do not agree,” he said simply; coldly. “You bring a bounty hunter with you, and hurt one of us. We do not trust you.”

Shiro cast an unsure look towards Allura. She started to step up, mouth open and demeanor diplomatic.

“Sir, if I could-”

_“He saved her life.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shiro got the scar! nobody really seems to be paying attention to it rn but trust me it gets taken care of


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Paladins try to convince the Avaskhans to meet the Blue Lion. Lance is a good brother.

_“He saved her life.”_

The Elder Avaskhan looked towards the blue-winged performer, who had stepped away from his family.

“He saved her life, Iverson,” he repeated, looking over his shoulder at Keith. “I saw him do it. She couldn’t fly away, her wing is hurt. When the hovercar exploded, she… she would have been caught in the blast. He protected her with himself, his own body.”

The elder, Iverson, looked at the younger one for quite a while. He stepped close, voice low as he spoke directly in the young Avaskhan’s face. Keith was just close enough to hear his words.

“You _stupid_  boy,” he said, “I told you that going into the city was dangerous. This is the second attack in three months. Why do you think that is, Lance?”

The performer, now embarrassed, tried to turn his head to avoid Iverson’s eyes. Iverson took his chin in hand and turned his face back towards him.

“Because _you_ decide you want to go into the cities, running amok and flirting with adventure. Do you not realize? You put as all in danger when you do this, child.”

His words were not biting. They were not harsh, or cruel; they were disappointed. That seemed to rub the performer more deeply than anger could have.

“Now you have brought these strangers- Voltron- into our home. You bring bounty hunters with you; they follow the trail you leave. Every feather dropped is another chance for them to find us. Do you not understand this?”

“I do understand, Iverson,” was the very quiet reply. Keith wasn’t sure if he even heard it or if he’d imagined it.

“And yet, you defend these strangers. You want us to go with them, for what? So we can be herded and killed like the rest? Do you not remember what happened to other clans that had thought they were getting safe haven?”

“I do remember, Iverson.”

“Then what, pray tell, do you expect us to do, Lance?”

There was a long pause. Iverson removed his hand from Lance’s face, and leaned back to stand upright. His expression was carefully calculated, waiting. He knew the answer he wanted from Lance.

“They’re with _Voltron_ , Iverson. They have the, uh… the bayards, or whatever. They’re the defenders of the universe! If anyone can offer us protection, it would be them.”

That was not the answer Iverson was looking for if the twitch of his eyebrow was any tell, but still Lance continued.

“Even if none of us are the Blue Paladin, they can reunite us with other Avaskhan clans! We can grow our numbers back a little, and stay somewhere where hunting us is illegal. They can take us anywhere in the universe.”

The following silence was tense. Iverson lifted his chin ever so slightly, chiefly. His expression was no longer empathetic, and now took on the form of a stern leader.

“We, as a flock, will not be going with them.”

“But, Iverson-”

“ _You_ may go,” the Elder stated, shutting Lance up with shock. Lance looked back to his family, as if he wasn’t sure he heard Iverson right.

“Anyone who wants to may go,” he continued. “But… whoever goes cannot return.”

Keith felt a chill down his own spine as he watched the way Lance paled. His wings dropped, the dark tips brushing the ground. There were small whispers amongst the Avaskhans, and looks shared amongst the Paladins and Alteans. Lance’s lips open and closed but he couldn’t seem to find the words to say. His mother came behind him, placing her hands on his arm and wings to offer comfort and a sense of stability.

“Iverson,” she pled, “surely there must be some compromise.”

“No, Rose,” the Elder snapped, losing patience. “If he wants to go, it will be the last time he goes. He’s led too many dangers to us, enough times for his own sister to be hurt.”

That seemed to strike a nerve in Lance; he ducked his head sharply, brows furrowed and fists clenched. Iverson seemed somewhat satisfied with the reaction, and gently laid hands on the mother and son. He muttered something in their tongue, and turned away. He gave the Paladins, namely Shiro, one last look before ushering the flock in another direction.

Rose was whispering to Lance, trying to get him to move along with the others. He stood still, silent and refusing to look at her. Shiro, the closest to the two, stepped forward hesitantly, catching Lance’s attention.

Blue eyes looked him over, watching the red drip from Shiro’s chin. Lance stepped toward him, away from the other Avaskhans and strode over to Shiro. The Black Paladin remained still, careful not to move in a way that might startle the winged alien.

A hand reached up and thin fingers hovered over the cut across Shiro’s face, careful not to touch skin in fear it would hurt the Paladin. Pink, ash-covered lips quirked up in a guilty, small smile.

“Sorry about that,” he said. He took Shiro’s wrist in his hand, gently tugging on him to pull him towards the flock of Avaskhans. “We can at least clean that up.”

 

.:^:.

 

They were led into the small campground the Avaskhans had set up. It was a true nomad’s camp, with stilted tents serving as houses, thick leather creating roofs and walls to offer protection from the wind and cold. They were small tents that would be easy to move in a hurry. Each tent had a color, sometimes two colors patched together in a beautiful array. As Keith watched, he noticed that the feathers of the Avaskhans entering had the same colors as the leather. The tight leather they wore also corresponded with the colors of their feathers, ranging from deep reds to glittering silvers.

Lance wore blue, slightly more vibrant than the blue pattern in his wings. His top was long sleeved, with holes for his fingers, elbows, and shoulders, with a low back for his wings to comfortably move. It was full body, hooking between his thighs a lot like a swimsuit before the white leggings underneath stretched down the length of his legs. (Keith refused to look down further than the cutout for his wings when Lance turned around; he had a feeling the leather bodysuit hugged his ass in just the right ways.)

The small family led Shiro and Keith (the rest of the team stayed outside) into a tent in the middle of the camp, tent colors a mix of cool blues and rich browns to match the parents’ wings. Inside was bare, with three beds, a few knapsacks, a small table, and various small decorations and toys scattered around.

 _Easy to pick up and go,_ Keith thought, picking up a small wool-and-wood doll. It looked like feathers had once been woven into the doll’s back, but had been lost with good use and hard play.

Lance had Shiro sit on a messy bed as Rose rummaged around a leather knapsack. He used a dry, clean towel to clean up the bottom half of Shiro’s face, avoiding the sensitive wound on his nose. Keith was buzzing with anxiety, the realization that Shiro was hurt finally settling in. If Shiro had jumped back even a second later, he would surely have lost his head. If he had ducked instead, his eyes would have been in line with the sharp cut. He swallowed the lump in his throat.

Keith knew he’d have to get used to the feeling of almost losing his brother.

“Can you see alright?” Lance was asking as he wrung out the bloody towel.

“Uh, it’s a little blurry. But I think I just got some blood in my eye,” Shiro replied, a light hearted lilt in his tone. “I think I’ll live, though.”

“Lucky you,” Lance’s father said, speaking for the first time. He was watching Keith and Shiro from his own bed. “Not many walk away with just a scratch.”

There was a soft admonishment from his wife, a small nudge with her wing, as she walked over to her son and guest with a small vial of heavy, amber liquid. She emptied some onto a clean cloth, coating the material generously before bringing it to Shiro’s face.

“This should help with the bleeding,” she explained, pausing before she touched the cloth to the wound. “It shouldn’t sting, but… We do not usually use this on others.”

“I’ll be fine. Thank you.”

There was a wince as the wet cloth touched the deep cut, but Shiro’s face relaxed as the older Avaskhan dabbed the blood away. Sure enough, the soft flow of blood stopped by the second round of application. The skin around the wound was stained amber and deep red, blood and salve smeared around his face.

“That… actually feels a lot better,” Shiro sighed softly, fingers gingerly touching around the wounded skin. “Thank you very much.”

The mother nodded, but didn’t wait much longer before turning her attention to her daughter. The small Avaskhan was curled up on the last bed, bandaged wing close to her body. There was soft cooing in their mother tongue as Rose untucked her injured wing. Lance left Shiro’s side to go to his sister, letting her squeeze his hand tightly as she hissed through her teeth, tiny face scrunching up in pain as the wing was stretched.

Lance’s face was riddled with deep lines of worry, but his eyes were distant. Each pained gasp made his lips tug down, each squeeze of small hands wracked more pain through his heart. Keith knew that Iverson’s word hurt him deeply. He was internalizing the guilt, blaming himself for his sister getting hurt. Keith knew the feeling well.

Keith nestled himself on the bed next to Shiro, careful to leave enough room for the family’s wings, and not get any blood from his leg on the sheets. He focused on looking over Shiro’s wound.

“Do you think the pods can fix that?” he asked, eyebrows knitted together in worry.

“I think it might leave a scar, but yeah. I don’t think I’ll have to worry about it reopening once we’re on the castleship. I’ll just… hop in the pod, be in for an hour or so, and it’ll be healed.”

“You have a healing pod?”

Both Paladins looked over at Lance, who was looking at them with a clear look in his eyes. He repeated his question, urging them to answer. His eyes only once left theirs after a particularly tight squeeze from his sister.

“Yeah,” Shiro answered, regaining his composure under the blazing blue gaze faster than Keith. “We do, it’s on our ship.”

Keith looked at the small Avaskhan lying behind Lance.

“She probably needs one.”

Rose looked up from the task of cleaning her daughter’s wing. She looked from Keith to her husband, chirping at him quietly. There was a response, and a small argument before Lance cut in, whatever he said heated and effectively quieting his parents. Lance turned back to the Paladins.

“This wound won’t heal quickly. It… might not even heal at all, unless we can get better medicine. But we don’t have access to any medicine, really, not here… So...”

“You want to use the pods,” Keith concluded for him. Lance hesitated before nodding.

“Absolutely not,” his father chimed in from behind them. “You heard what Iverson said- we won’t be able to come back to the flock if we go.”

Rose stayed silent, forcing her attention back to her daughter. Lance looked back and forth between both of his parents, obviously desperate to convince them to go. He let out a noise of exasperation, wings fluttering behind him in frustration.

“We _have_ to! She- Dad, she…” he couldn’t finish his sentence, the thought too painful to say outloud.

His father didn’t have a reply, staying silent instead. One look at his face and Keith knew he held the same fear deep in his chest, conflict flitting across his expression as his son’s words sunk under his skin. Keith didn’t know how to help, or if they even could. He looked at Shiro, who seemed to be facing the same dilemna.

“Should we go?” Shiro asked, directing his question at Lance.

Lance didn’t answer, gaze dropping from Shiro and Keith’s faces. He turned in on himself for a moment, before standing and going close to his mother. He reached for the vial of amber salve, emptying some into his hand, and turned back to the brothers with his fingers coated in the medicine.

“Your leg was hurt?” he asked the Red Paladin.

Lance was quiet, refusing to look at the Paladins as he gingerly applied the medicine to the cut-burn on Keith’s leg, making sure to twist his fingers underneath the armor as well. His fingers were sure and steady, even if his gaze was unfocused.

They didn’t ask anymore questions to the family.

 

.:^:.

 

Allura was attempting to talk Iverson into letting the Voltron team take them back to their castleship to at least meet the Blue Lion. She was in the middle of trying to convince the eldest Avaskhan that they meant no harm to the rest of the flock when Shiro and Keith reemerged from Lance’s small home. Hunk worried over the cut on Shiro’s face, mother henning, while Keith stepped up to the Altean’s side.

“Princess,” he said quietly, turning her towards him to speak more privately. “I don’t think this is working out. I don’t even think the Avaskhan from before wants to go with us.”

Allura’s brow furrowed and she looked like she wanted to argue, to turn back to Iverson and convince him properly, but she stopped herself. She gave a hearty sigh, shoulders slumping in defeat.

“I suppose you’re right. We can’t force them to do anything; we’d be no better than the foul men who hunt them,” she said, a particular bitterness to her tone. She and Keith turned to the others, and she made her decision. “It’s time to go, everyone. We’ve bothered these good people enough.”

The Avaskhans that were still outside of their homes watched them, eyes focused and wings tensed. Iverson stood in front of them all, keeping careful watch over the Paladins’ hands and weapons.

The trek back down the mountain was bound to be rough, especially since they only had their feet to carry them back. They passed the wreckage of the Balmeran’s hovercar, taking a small moment to mourn the loss. He may have been a bounty hunter, but he was still a being in the universe they vowed to protect. Pidge picked up a piece of warped engine, solemnly naming the part it once was to herself. It was about then that they heard the rustling of feet running through underbrush from behind them.

“Wait!” a voice called, audibly strained with exertion. There was a pause before another call, and a moment after that before two bodies emerged from the dense trees.

It was Lance, carrying his little sister in his arms, running towards them with a red face and heavy breathing. He ran until he was in front of them, wings ruffling behind him as he caught his breath.

“Please-” he said, shifting his sister in his arms to rest against his hip. “Her wing- it won’t heal on its own, I fear. Will your healing pods fix it?”

Allura sputtered a tad, taken by surprise by Lance’s sudden appearance. She looked at Coran, who nodded and went to the boy’s side. Hooking an arm loosely around his shoulders, Coran started to pull the Avaskhan along the direction the group was headed in.

“Of course, my boy,” he grinned, reassuring the worried brother with a pat on the top of his wings. “She’ll be fixed up in a jiffy, and we can have you right back home in no time!”

Lance’s face twitched, a pained expression flashing across his brown features. “...We won’t be able to. I… I was hoping we could stay on the ship. I can help with anything you guys need- cooking, cleaning, sewing clothes, sounding the alarms- just as long as I can keep her safe.”

Coran didn’t even hesitate before answering. “Of course. We can offer any safety you need, whether it be on the castleship or back on Altea.”

Keith followed closely behind Lance and Coran, fighting the desire to go up and strike up a conversation with the winged boy. He didn’t even know what he would say- how brave Lance is? How much he must love his sister? How crazy he is for leaving the rest of the flock behind? How crazy hot his independence was fighting skills were?

“Lance!”

The Paladins’ heads turned at the new call, and Pidge quietly muttered, “Oh, what now?” into her helmet.

Shiro, regaining his senses quickly after the second surprise appearance, went to meet Rose and her husband as they came into view.

“Lance!” Rose cried, going off in their language in what seemed like a mix of endearments and scolding. Her husband was close behind her, seemingly have taken off after her as she ran to their son. He cast a look at Shiro, offering a small smile of apology before following his wife through the small group.

“We must still keep walking,” Coran ushered over the bouts of bickering in Avaskhan tongue, gently guiding the nervous family down the long path to their ships. The rest followed him, each Paladin sharing glances with each other.

Keith fell behind, taking up the rear of the group as they passed through the foliage. Allura soon joined him, a thoughtful aura about her. He tried to ignore her. She nudged him with her elbow, just enough to force his attention on her.

“Do you think it’s him?” she asked, a small curve to the sides of her lips.

“Do I think what’s him?”

“Lance; do you think he could be the Blue Paladin?”

Keith was taken aback a bit by the question, surprised that she’d ask him of all people.

“Don’t the Lions talk to you?” he asked, turning his head forward. (To look at the back of Lance’s wings.) “Shouldn’t you know?”

He felt Allura shrug next to him, and felt the weight of her stare on his face. His cheeks turned a little red, and he took his gaze off of Lance.

“Just thought you might have an idea. Afterall,” she said, picking up her steps a bit to glide in front of him. “Red and Blue do have the best dynamic of the Paladins.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mmm idk how to end anything properly but i know if i dont do it now i wont do it ever so! here you go!
> 
>  
> 
> if anyone wants to continue this/do anything for this please do. i beg you. i need winged lances. tag me so i can read it pls


	5. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mmm maybe this will finish it off a bit better? styled like the prologue, not really any one POV

The Avaskhans and the team of Voltron returned to the Altean ship, placing the smallest Avaskhan, the Red, and Black Paladin into healing pods. The rest of the team used more traditional ways of tending to their wounds, using gauze and disinfecting sprays on the superficial injuries. 

The family of Avaskhans seemed intrigued by the interior of the Altean castleship, but refused to leave the pod that contained their family. Rose and her husband were given blankets, pillows, and supportive structures to make an impromptu next while Lance continuously paced to his sister’s pod to near the pod of the Red Paladin. His wings were tense, feathers ruffled and poofed up in worry. He ignored his mother’s urges to rest, tired eyes fixated on his sister as her wing healed.

The Red Paladin was the first to be released, the small hiss of wind mildly startling the Avaskhans. The mixed human stepped out, blinking himself into awareness until his gaze landed on the winged aliens. He looked to the pod of the youngest one.

“How’s she doing?” he asked, stepping closer with steady feet.

“We don’t know,” Lance admitted. He crossed his arms and sighed, lips almost forming a pout. “We can’t read Altean.” 

Keith muttered his acknowledgement, and went to the screen that listed the Avaskhan’s vitals. He tinkered with the screen a bit before it flashed and restarted, the vitals and information now in their shared language. Immediately, Keith felt Lance press to his back to read the screen. 

As Lance read to himself in whispers, his breath pulsed softly against the skin of Keith’s ear. He remained still, however, letting Lance be the first to back away to share the news with his parents.

It was good news- the smallest Avaskhan of the family was well onto the path of recovery, and the pod was patching the frayed nerves and broken skin. Upon further analysis, Coran informed them that it did not seem that the Avaskhan will have any limitations to flight or mobility, though she may require slight physical rehabilitation to strengthen the healed muscles and tendons.

Shiro was released from his healing pod shortly afterwards, the cut on his face healed but leaving a raised scar in its wake. The young Avaskahan responsible apologized dearly for it, bowing deeply at the hip to show his repentance. The Black Paladin forgave him quickly and did not blame Lance, telling the younger one that he would have done the same thing for his brother.

The Paladins of Voltron and the Alteans came and went from the pod room, bringing food and drink to the Avaskhans as they went. Coran had told them that the healing process will take a few days to complete properly, and the family had no qualms with staying close by their child. 

The second night in the castle, both Princess Allura and Lance were woken by a soft pulse of warmth.

“ _ My Paladin _ ,” the Blue Lion said to Lance. “ _ You are here.” _

Allura knew this was the voice of the Blue Lion, having identified the source when she was first spoken to. Lance, on the other hand, had only heard the voice in his dreams. He knew the voice well, even if he did not have a name for it. It was very familiar to him nonetheless: it was the gentle stream he bathed in as a child; the warm gust of wind beneath his wings as he soar through the sky; the comforting heartbeat of his mother as he embraced her. 

The Princess was in the Lion’s hangars before the Avaskhan, having already known the path. Lance was left to follow his instincts, the Blue Lion using gentle purrs and positive thoughts to bring her Paladin to him. Eventually he stood in front of the Princess, who smiled at him and led him to the Blue Lion.

He looked at her with wonder in his eyes, mouth parted and wings low. You’re beautiful, he thought, and was answered with a mutual appreciation. 

“ _ Come to me, my Paladin _ ,” the Blue Lion told him, eyes alight and welcoming. She opened up for him, and he did not hesitate to obey. 

He sat in the pilot seat where the great Paladins of Old, letting the emotions and experiences that the Blue Lion had to share wash over him. He felt her more than he had in his dreams- infused in his skin, in the pulse of blood through his veins, the very air that filled his lungs. He let her guide him, tell him all she knew about the other Lions and their Paladins, both old and new, and how she had taken many Blue Paladins and helped them become the greatest they could be. 

He sat with her until the next afternoon, no sense of time following him as the Blue Lion spoke. She only stopped herself when she felt him grow tired and hungry.

“I don’t want to leave,” the Blue Paladin told his Lion. “I want to stay and talk.”

“ _ Then, my Paladin _ ,” the Lion instructed, “ _ reach out to me from beyond my body. You will always be able to find me, but you must first learn where to look. Go, my Paladin. You have much to learn _ .”

He went. He spoke to his family, sharing all the wonderful things that the Blue Lion-  _ his _ Lion- had told him. He spoke to the other Paladins, elated that they shared the same joy as he did when discovering he was the new Paladin of Voltron. 

When his sister emerged from the healing pod and was properly taken care of, Lance took her to the Lion to introduce her. He told her of the tales of the Paladins of Old, hugging her close to him in the cockpit of the great Lion. He told her how Voltron protected everyone in the universe, freeing them from tyranny and destruction. He told her how she would never have to live in fear, that he and his Lion would always protect her and all Avaskhans around the universe. How, when she was older and stronger, that she could help defend their worlds alongside him.

They both fell asleep dreaming of the future ahead of them, one that allowed them to pursue their dreams without fear of capture. They slept soundly, wrapped in a safe cocoon of their wings and the promising purr of the Blue Lion.


End file.
